Page 84 - Joe Biden

US, China seek to ease strained ties, prepare for possible Biden-Xi summit

In the midst of two active and potentially world-changing conflicts in the Middle East and Europe, the US is hoping to find at least a small measure of common ground with China as China's top diplomat visits Washington this week. Over three days of meetings that begin Thursday, top Biden administration officials, including possibly the president himself, will press Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the importance of China stepping up its role on the world stage if it wants to be considered a responsible major international player. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, are both expected to urge China to play a constructive role in both the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars. Those meetings could set the stage for a summit between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum leaders gathering in San Francisco. The U.S. has been disappointed with China

US working with G7 nations to compete with China's Belt and Road Initiative

The US is working with other G7 members to compete with China's Belt and Road Initiative through a network of infrastructure projects, including a railroad connecting Saudi Arabia with Europe, President Joe Biden said. On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in September, key leaders of the world led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Biden had announced the launch of the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. "We are going to compete on that (Belt and Road Initiative) and we're doing it in a different way. The Belt and Road Initiative has ended up in debt and a noose for most of the people (nations) who have signed on," Biden said at a Rose Garden news conference with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He said that they are working with G7 partners to provide infrastructure for those nations. The Group of Seven (G7) comprises the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. "We want to, for example, at the G20, we were able to act

Hamas hiding behind Palestinians: Biden at joint briefing with Albanese

Addressing a joint press briefing with Australian PM Anthony Albanese on Thursday, President' Biden condemned Hamas's attack on Israel and reaffirmed solidarity with its ally

Biden calls Australia anchor to peace, prosperity during Albanese's visit

President Joe Biden described Australia as an anchor to peace and prosperity while standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House on Wednesday, part of a state visit intended to deepen an alliance that's increasingly viewed as a critical counterweight to China's influence in the Pacific. It was the ninth and most high-profile meeting between the two leaders, reflecting their work toward closer ties on climate change, technology and national security. The United States also plans to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia in the coming years, part of a collaboration with the United Kingdom. We renewed our commitment to defend the values that are at the heart of this alliance, Biden said. "We continue to stand as one to forge a better future for both of us and all of the region." The state visit, only the fourth since Biden took office, came against the backdrop of escalating fighting between Israel and Hamas. Biden began a joint press conference with ..

Biden condemns retaliatory attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians

President Joe Biden on Wednesday spoke out against retaliatory attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. He also said he was redoubling his commitment to working on a two-state solution to end the decadeslong Israel-Palestinian conflict. Biden said the attacks by settlers amounted to "pouring gasoline" on the already burning fires in the Middle East since the Hamas attack. It has to stop, and it has to stop now, Biden said at the start of a news conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was being honored with a state visit to Washington. Settler violence against Palestinians has intensified since the Hamas attack, and Palestinians have been killed by settlers, according to Palestinian authorities. Rights groups say settlers have torched cars and attacked several small Bedouin communities, forcing them to evacuate to other areas. The West Bank Protection Consortium, a coalition of

Israel agrees to delay Gaza invasion, America stations F16s in West Asia

Iran ordered recent attacks by allies in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, says Tel Aviv; airstrikes hit military sites in Syria

H-1B visa: What will change, what won't

The US has unveiled a proposal promising a transformative shift in the H-1B visa lottery system. Watch the video for the details >

US Prez Biden, Saudi Crown Prince MBS discuss Israel-Hamas war escalation

The two also affirmed the importance of working towards a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians as soon as the crisis subsides

Biden honours two Indian-American scientists with highest scientific awards

US President Joe Biden has honoured two Indian-American scientists -- Ashok Gadgil and Subra Suresh -- with the country's highest scientific awards for their contribution to the field of science and technology. Biden presented the prestigious White House National Medal for Technology and Innovation to Gadgil, a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley, on Tuesday for providing life-sustaining resources to communities around the world. The award, bestowed on leading US innovators, recognises those who have made lasting contributions to America's competitiveness and quality of life and helped strengthen the nation's technological workforce. Suresh, a professor at large at Brown University's School of Engineering, was awarded the National Medal of Science for pioneering research across engineering, physical sciences and life sciences, and particularly for advancing the study of material science and its application to other disciplines. Gad

Israelis can make their own decisions: Biden on ground invasion of Gaza

Amidst reports of an imminent ground invasion of Gaza by Israel, President Joe Biden has said that Israel can make its own decisions, as the US firmly backs its ally while urging caution. The latest conflict was triggered by unprecedented attacks against Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive against the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007. Biden made the comment on Tuesday in response to a question while posing for a picture with the visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Are you urging Israel to delay its ground invasion? Biden was asked, to which he replied, The Israelis can make their own decisions. Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant laid out the Jewish nation's plan to change the security regime" in Gaza-- implying Hamas' removal-- and said the plan was designed in three stages. Gallant said that the Israeli Defence Forces (IFD) was in the plan's firs

Donald Trump compares himself to Nelson Mandela, rails against Joe Biden

Former President Donald Trump compared himself to anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela on Monday as he cast himself as the victim of federal and state prosecutors he alleges are targeting him and his businesses for political reasons. Returning to New Hampshire to register for its presidential primary, Trump held a rally where he railed against President Joe Biden's response to the Hamas attack on Israel and vowed to build an Iron Dome-style missile defense shield over the U.S. But he focused much of his dark and at times profane speech on the criminal and civil cases against him, at one point suggesting he would go to prison like the former South African president who spent 27 years in prison for opposing South Africa's apartheid system and was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. I don't mind being Nelson Mandela because I'm doing it for a reason, Trump told am amped-up crowd of supporters at a sports complex in Derry, New Hampshire. We've got to save our country from these fascists, the

LIVE: Qatar airways CEO Akbar al Baker is stepping down from his position

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

US budget gap soars to $1.7 trillion, largest outside Covid-19 era

The Treasury Department said the deficit was the largest since a covid-fueled $2.78 trillion gap in 2021

Biden walks tightrope with support for Israel as allies push for restraint

President Joe Biden told a crowd of Democratic donors over the weekend about a decades-old photo he took with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an aside that seemed intended to illustrate his long support of Israel and track record of speaking bluntly with the conservative Israeli leader. Biden said he'd written on the photo of himself as a young senator and Netanyahu as an embassy hand, "Bibi, I love you. I don't agree with a damn thing you say.' He told donors at a Friday night fundraiser that Netanyahu still keeps the photo on his desk and had brought it up during Biden's lightning visit to Tel Aviv last week. As expectations grow that Israel will soon launch a ground offensive aimed at rooting out Hamas militants who rule the Gaza Strip, Biden finds himself facing anew the difficult balancing act of demonstrating full-throated support for America's closet ally in the Middle East while trying to also press the Israelis to act with enough restraint to keep the war from spreading

Hamas attacked Israel in part to stop historic agreement with Saudi: Biden

President Joe Biden said Friday he thought Hamas was motivated to attack Israel in part by a desire to stop that country from normalising relations with Saudi Arabia. One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis, Biden said at a campaign fundraiser. The US president indicated that he thinks Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Oct 7 because, Guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognise Israel and were near being able to formally do so. Jerusalem and Riyadh had been steadily inching closer to normalisation, with Biden working to help bring the two countries together, announcing plans in September at the Group of 20 summit in India to partner on a shipping corridor. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Biden on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September and told him, I think that under your leadership, Mr President, we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis

Australia PM announces China visit hours before leaving for US to meet prez

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit China in early November, his office said Sunday hours before he was set to fly to the United States to meet President Joe Biden. Albanese's office also said China agreed to review the crippling tariffs it placed on Australian wine that have effectively blocked trade with the winemakers' biggest export market since 2020. Albanese will become the first Australian prime minister to visit China in seven years when he travels to Beijing and Shanghai from November 4-7. He will meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing and then attend the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. The visit to China and a potential breakthrough in the wine dispute mark a further repair in bilateral relations since Albanese's centre-left Labor Party won elections last year after nine years of conservative rule in Australia. I look forward to visiting China, an important step towards ensuring a stable and productive relationship, Alban

US President Biden speaks to freed American-Israeli hostages from Gaza

On Friday afternoon, Biden released a statement taking credit for the pair's release and thanking "the government of Qatar and the government of Israel for their partnership in this work

Hamas attacked Israel in part to stop agreement with Saudi Arabia: Biden

President Joe Biden said Friday he thought Hamas was motivated to attack Israel in part by a desire to stop that country from normalising relations with Saudi Arabia. One of the reasons Hamas moved on Israel they knew that I was about to sit down with the Saudis, Biden said at a fundraising event. The US president indicated that he thinks Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on October 7 because, Guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognise Israel and were near being able to formally do so. Jerusalem and Riyadh had been steadily inching closer to normalization, with Biden working to help bring the two countries together, announcing plans in September at the Group of 20 summit in India to partner on a shipping corridor. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Biden on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September and told him, I think that under your leadership, Mr President, we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis had been ..

Biden requests $105 billion from US Congress for aid in Israel, Ukraine

The request will further seek additional funding for the US-Mexico border and priorities in the Indo-Pacific region

US to provide full support in recovery to 2 American hostages Hamas freed

Two American citizens held hostage by Hamas since October 7 have been released, US President Joe Biden announced Friday, assuring that his government would fully support the duo in their recovery and healing process. Biden thanked the governments of Qatar and Israel for their partnership in securing the release of the two hostages -- a mother and her teenage daughter. Soon thereafter, Biden spoke over the phone with the two released hostages and their family. Today, we have secured the release of two Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel on October 7, the president said in a statement. Our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days, and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who have been wracked with fear. These individuals and their family will have the full support of the United States government as they recover and heal, and we should all respect their privacy at this moment, he ..